Yieldable belt buckle



March 10, 1953 A, STARK 2,630,612

YIELDABLE BELT BUCKLE Filed June 28, 1951 l, ff"2 .LT [un: 2 31 ,hl t

/2 2a 24 la INVENTOR LUDWIG A. STARK4 ATT RNEY Patented Mar. 10, 1953 :1'

UNITED lSTATES PATENT i OFFICE YIELDABLE BELT BUCKLE Ludwig A. Stark, Tenay, N. J. Application June 2s, 1951, serial No. 234.021

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in yieldable belt buckles.

Yieldable belt buckles may be classified in two distinct classes, namely, those in which the frame of the buckle is made from two or more sections resiliently connected together, and those in which the frame is of one piece but is connected at one side by resilient means with a leather or other flexible belt. This invention is directed to the second group of yieldable belt buckles. In this group it is customary to connect the resilient means to the leather or other material belt with rivets, tabs, and other direct attachments. The main defect of this type of construction resides in the fact that the rivets, tabs or other direct attachments tend to place a great strain on the material of the belt at the point or points of attachment so that in a short time the connection becomes worn and loose or broken. The dominating object of this invention resides in so connecting the resilient means yto the belt that there is no actual direct attachment between these parts. It is proposed, instead, that the connection be in the nature of a clamping action or an under pressure action. y

Another important object of this invention resides in so arranging the resilient connection that the under pressure action is directed against the inside of ythe bend of a belt having anl inwardly bent end portion adjacent the belt buckle. The pressure is distributed across the entire length of this bent portion so as to distribute strain, and in this way increase 'the life of the connection and thus of the belt.

It is proposed to characterize the new yieldable y belt buckle by the fact that it includes a casing having a rounded end portion for engaging inside of said bend of the belt. It is proposed to provide this rounded end portion with a stem guiding opening. A stem is slidably engaged through said stem guiding opening and has its `outer end rformed withcoiled portions for engaging around and holding one end of the belt buckle frame. It is proposed to provide resilient means urging said stem inwards of said casing and urging said coiled` portions towards and against said rounded end portions of the casing in order to clamp the attachment of the =belt buckle upon the bend of the belt. The bend of the belt will be clamped in between the rounded end portion of the casing and the coiled portions of the stem when the yieldable belt buckle is in its relaxed condition. When in action, and the stem is drawn outwards, the rounded end portion of the casing will be under pressure against the bend of the belt.

2 claims. (o1. Acli- 178) In many prior yieldable belt buckles tension springs were used to provide the `resiliency' for expansion. This invention particularly proposes to use a compression spring which experience has proved can stand up better for this particular job. With a tension spring the entire strain is communicated to the end turns or hooks or hinges by which it is attached and there is the tendency for the spring to lose some of its resiliency a-t these points after some use, particularly if it is stretched often or over stretched. This injury is not possible with a compression spring since all of the coils will merely move towards or against each other and prevent injury to the spring when the load is applied which is distributed equally to al1 turns.

In prior yieldable beltbuckle constructons'the spring would lean against the adjacent walls of the belt, of leather or other high friction material, during expansion and contraction thereof. This contact is objectionable because of the large coeilicient of friction between a stretching spring and a leather or other belt. This invention proposes to so construct the casing of the yieldable belt buckle that it encases the spring in order Ithat the spring leans against the casing, of metal or other material having a low coefficient of friction during stretching and contraction. The friction with this construction is naturally smaller than in the prior explained case.

Another object of ,the invention is the construction of a device as described whichV is simple and durable and which may be manufactured and sold at a reasonable cost.

For further comprehension of the invention, and of the objects and advantages '-thereof, reference will be had tothe following description and accompanying drawing, and to the appended claims in which the various novel features ofthe invention are more particularly set forth.

In the accompanying drawingforming a material part of this disclosure:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary plan view of one fend of a belt provided with a yieldable belt buckle constructed in accordance with this invention.

a Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 2-'2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged transverse sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2, but illustrated with the yieldable belt buckle expanded.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the casing used in the yieldable belt buckle.

Fig. 6 is an end elevational view of the casing shown in Fig. 5, looking from the right hand end.

aroundfthe stemv2.| (seeLFfig. 3). g.,jlfhepperationanduse.of thenewyieldable. belt bucklegnay beunderstcodiromthe following:

The yieldable belt buckle, in accordance with this invention, includes a belt buckle frame I having a buckle tongue II pivotally mounted on one end I2 of said buckle frame I0. A casing I3 having a rounded end portion I4 engages inside of the bend I5 of a belt I6 having an inwardly bent end portion I1 attached tothe adjacent portion of said belt I6 with a transverse line of stitches la .extendedalong ,the end offtheffbent end portion I'lrand-longitudinallines of stitches I9 extended along the sides of the inwardly bent end portion I1.

The rounded end portion I 4 of..the.casing I3 is formed with a stem guiding opening rThe bend l5 is formed with an opening '3.|;.a ligneclesilientrrneans in thenature of, a .compres 5f sionspring 2:3 is. associated With saidstem 2| andfcasing |3 .`for.urging.said.stem 2| inwards and `urgingsaid coil. portions 2 2,v towards. the roundedend portion I4 o f the.casing |3." The casing I3 isforrned from. a strip of .metal bent at its}ce nter to'formtheroundedendportion I. -yThe casing/ I Sghas top. and bottom portion 2.4 and respectively extendingover and under vsaid Yspring- 2.3, and.. ste rn 2 I 'portions y2I,.ar'1d 2 E are ,provided `with side .anges These top. and ,bottom 26 directed .towardseachl other to facilitate enrounded end portion Iwhich preferably extends yi1'substantially the.. ven ti1e ,width .ofY the belt I 6.

should be particularly noted that with thiscorb struction there are no strains or stresses between rivets or tabs or other direct attachments to the belt I 6. When the pressure is released the spring 23 will move the stem 2| and belt buckle frame I0 back to their original positions.

The yieldable belt buckle is attached to the belt |6 in the following way. Originally, the inner end of the-stem 2| doesmnot contain the split 21 or, theoutward-ly bent. parts 28:- .The casing I3 is engaged against `the bend I5 of the belt I6, and

then the `stern 2| is inserted through the openings .3.|.. and 20 of the bend I5 and rounded end I4; respectively. The spring 23 is then placed Qn-thezstem 2| within the top and bottom portions 24 and 25 of the casing I3. Now the inner end ofthe-stern 2| Afis formed With said split 21 and .fthe-parts 28 are spread open to hold the spring 23 in position. The;.-end portion I'| of the belt I 51s now secured tothe. .belt Idwiththestitches I8'and I9.

. While I have illustrated and described the preferred. embodiment of my invention, it is to be K understood that I do vnot limit myself t'othe .precise construction herein disclosed and `the vright is reserved to all changes coming within the scope 'of the invention asdened vinfthe appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as .new anddesireto secure 'by United States 1 LettersiPatent is:

l. In la yieldable belt buckle, a metal casing having a rounded end portion for engaging inside 'oi the blend of a belt having an Vinwardly bent end portion' attached to the adjacent portion of' said `belt, said roundedend portion having a stem r. lheinnerend of the stem 2| is formed` .with a shape `in across-section. The spring 23 .is .-Woun Figs. 1 and 2 il1ustra.te' .the belt buckle in its released condition.. Iii-,this condition .the expansion.spring 23 .isforcingthewidened portion 3Q of-...tbestein 2I-,against. the `outside of ,thebend fl end .simultaneously is. forcingtbe rounded Lend .p o rtion I4 o ithe casing .|lgfagainsttheinside of split 21,.an d theparts .2a .to thesides of this split 21j-are.spreadoutwards so' as .to holdthe'adjaguidingopenina a stern'sldably engaging through .saidstem guiding opening and having at itsouter Vend 'coil portions for engaging .around vand'holding one end ofabuckleframe having'a buckle tongue mounted on said one end of said buckle frame, a compression springmounted around said stem and located withinf said casing and having one end abutting said rounded end portion, 'and having its other end connectedwith .said stem, and said casing havingatrigid, paralleltop and bottom portions'extenling over and under .said

spring `irld'said stern fox-shieldingisad spring from direct contact With said belt.

iv .2-.Ayeldab1e belt .buckle asjdened .in claim 1, in whichsa'id topandlbottom portions haveside flanges directed towardseachother for facilitating encasing said spring 'andstem Y LUDWIGZXSLIRK.

.1-REFEnENoEsf-.CITED f Theiollowne. references .are 0.f.rec0r.d inf-.the

, serves, t o securely. .-.connect .th ev .yieldable belt buckle with the belt Iii..4 lliafltionith .belt buckle frame luis .pulledoutw'ardsywhich in turn'pulls gr.;.the.;stem 2,I j-;o.utw ards,. as illustrated iii Fig. 4. f .The .spring 23 is:cempressed` endtthe rounded Jend ;-......p0rti0r1`.l4 0f...the .casing |3 is. engagedunder 'i pressure against `lthe inside of the bend I5. It

5v Number EQREIGN. PATENTS .rCountry :Date 2 267;371 .'...-:Switzerland x-'June 213.21950 

